Winding machine



March 26, 1935. E. J. ABBOTT a 1,995,730

WINDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 11, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 fia/z I March 26, 1935. E; J. ABBOTT 1,995,730

WINDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 11, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 26, 1935.

E. J. ABBOTT WINDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 11, 193:5

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 @WQAW 0 V1 Patented Mar. 26, 1935 PATENT OFFICE WINDING MACHINE Edward J. Abbott, Wilton, N. H., assignor to Abbott Machine Company, Wilton, N. H., a corporation of: New Hampshire Application October 11, 1933, Serial No. 693,116 ZO'Claims; (o1. are-es) This invention relates to the detection of breakage or exhaustion of one strand and the intentional breakage or severance of another accompanying strand. for, example in a doubling, twisting, winding or spinning process involving the simultaneous handling of a plurality of strands subject to breakage. In such processes it is. desirable that winding of the unbroken strand shallnot continue after breakage of the other strand, for such continued winding causes the broken end of yarnlto be wound up and lost by being covered on the winding package by further layers of the unbroken yarn.

Among the principal objects of my invention are to provide detection and breakage mechanism which at high yarn speeds will act to break the remaining strand at a length barely if any exceeding the length of the initially broken strand, this for the. further purpose of insuring that the two broken ends, will be as near together on the wound package as possible. Particularly my invention aims to cause the second breakage to follow the initial breakage with such rapidity that the two broken ends will both be in the outermost layer ofthe wound package, so that they can be found with little rotation of the wound packag and without snarling them together. I

Iii-furtherance of these objects, my invention also aims to provide mechanism which avoids much of the inertia of moving parts of formerly proposed mechanisms, thereby to obtain very rapid action, and to provide a higher degree of certainty of the second breaking action than heretofore.

' Other objects of the invention and features of novelty andutility will be apparent from this specification and its drawings wherein the invention is explained, by way of example only, by reference to a preferred embodiment.

Inthe drawings:

Fig.1 is a front view of a doubling unit having the invention incorporated therein;

Fig. 2 is a right side view of the unit of Fig. 1, parts of the frame and driving connections of the machine being shown in vertical section;

Fig. 3 is a view on lined-3 of Fig.2 of the yarn guiding plate of the machine'showing the detector mounted thereon;

Fig. 4 is a view at right angles to Fig. 3, on the line-44 of Fig. 2, showing the detector;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view similar to Fig. 4, but having certain parts of the. yarn guiding plate removed for clarity of illustration;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the movable ele- J merit of the detector;

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. 5, showing the support for the movable element of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a top view of the support of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view in the line 9-9 of i Fig. 3 showing the closed end of one of the yarnreceiving slits in the guide plate of Fig. 3.

By way of example only, the invention is illustrated as embodied in a traveling-multiple unit machine of the general construction shown in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,609,639, as improved by the invention shown in my application Serial No. 476,776, filed August 21, 1930, and equipped with a pair of supply spindles for each unit for the purpose of doubling two strands.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, each unit may for example include an upright 10, having at its top a Winding head 11 which is guided on an upper rail 12 by means of rollers 13 and 14, and on its lower part a suitable roller 15 guiding the upright 10 on a lower rail 16. The spindle 20 of winding package 21 may be carried by an arm 22 pivoted at 23 on the head in position for the package 21 to rest on a drive roll 26, extending along the machine. A suitable traverse cam 28 is mounted in the winding head in position to be driven by roll 26, and to reciprocate a traverse guide 29. The traverse cam 28 is preferably covered by a yarn-guiding cover plate 30, which extends from the path of the traverse guide 29 at a slight downward slope to the point 30 (Fig. 2), and thence downward at a greater slope to its lowermost point 30*. At its bottom, this cover plate 30 is preferably turned up at right angles to the adjacent portions of the plate, as shown in Fig. 2 approximately in the plane of the supply.

package spindles 41.

'As shown in Fig. 1, these supply package spindles 41 are mounted on a suitable bracket 42 to ,point or converge toward the approximate center of this upturned support 31 for the detector. Associated with member 31 are suitable guide means to receive the two strands :c and y coming from the supply package, for example, a pair of slots 43, 44, through which the strands separately pass on their way to the traversing guide eye 29, and for the purpose of threading the strands onto these slots, the upper edge of member 31 is preferably downwardly inclined from both sides to these slots.

The winding speed of the mechanism may be, for example, 500 to 800 yards per minute, at which speeds the yarn coming freely off over the ends of the supply packages will exert a strong ballooning effect sufiicient to tension the yarns. A separator plate 47 is accordingly recommended for controlling the balloons thus formed.

The preferred arrangement described thus provides for passage of the winding strands through guiding means (such as slots 43, 44) so located in approximate prolongation of the supply spindles 41, 41 as to permit easy unwinding over end from the supply packages, and subsequent change of direction of the yarns at the guiding means, as they run therefrom toward the winding package, as clearly shown by way of example in Fig. 2.

The winding strands, under suitable winding tension, such for example as the tension of the unwinding balloons, are thus caused to travel in an indirect path to the winding package. The strand breaking mechanism now to be described operates on the principle of utilizing a failure of one strand to release the unbroken strand from constraint to this indirect path, permitting the tension to pull this unbroken strand into a more direct path such that it encounters an impediment to continued unwinding.

For operation according to this principle, a preferred form of means for releasing the unbroken strand may comprise, as shown in Figs. 3 to 8, a light tilting plate 50 having lateral ears 51, 52 each of which normally supports one of the two tensioned strands x and y as they pass through the slots 43, 44 of member 31.

The tilting plate is preferably mounted, as indicated in Fig. 5, upon two pins 56, extending from a supporting member 57, which as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, is mounted on the plate 30, directly behind the upturned flange 31. In the tilting plate 50, there is preferably provided a slot 58 formed in two arcuate portions of which the two pins 55 and 56 are the centers, the slot 58 receiving the two pins 55 and 56 and permitting the plate to tilt about either of the spaced pins 55 or 56 as a center. The stationary supporting member 57 is preferably provided with two guide ears 60, 61 having downwardly sloping tops adapted to direct laterally a strand laid in the slots 43 or 44, and thereafter adapted to confine the strand against leaving the slot. In running position, therefore, the two strands each run through a slot 43 or 44 and rest on a lateral ear 51 or 52 of the tilting plate 50. If either strand fails, as by breakage or exhaustion, the strong tension on the remaining strand tilts the plate 50 until the depressed one of the two ears thereon is withdrawn from the remaining strand. Thus, for example, when the plate 50 has been tilted to slightly beyond the tilted position of Fig. 5, the strand .1: will be released therefrom. The preferred form of strand-releasing device just described is very positive and certain in its action. The spaced pivot points, in the form of pins 55, 56, about which the plate 50 tilts, require a considerable difference in tension between the two strands before tilting is possible, since with two strands running on the respective ears 51, 52 the downwardly-moving lever arm of plate 50 is less than half as long as the opposite upwardly-moving lever arm. Thus to tilt the plate 50 about pin 55, strand an acting on the shorter lever arm, will have to exert over twice as much downward pull as the other strand y resisting such tilting movement. Moreover, unless one strand is actually broken or exhausted, the plate 50 can not tilt to either releasing position, for either strand :c or y that rises with slight tilting of plate 50 will be forced against the fixed car 60 or 61 respectively which checks further movement thereof and the plate 50 is thus prevented from tilting sufliciently to release the other strand. Thus, the releasing mechanism will not be actuated by slight differences in tension between the unbroken strands, and even if either of the strands is strongly jerked the releasing mechanism will be checked so long as neither strand is broken or exhausted.

However, the actuation of the detector is practically instantaneous when the end of a broken or exhausted strand is encountered. Upon such actuation, the other strand is released, and by virtue of its strong winding tension passes below the plate 50 in the slot 43 or 44.

To permit the released strand to assume a more direct path such that it encounters an impediment to continued unwinding, the slots 43 and 44 are preferably continued in the plate 30 toward the winding package, as indicated at 43 and 44 (Fig. 3), so as to terminate at points substantially offset from the plane of the supply package spindles. The released strand is immediately drawn by its strong winding tension to the end of its slot 43 or 44, where as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the strand is no longer capable of unwinding freely over the end of the supply package. The consequent jerk immediately breaks the strand, and this second breaking is accomplished so quickly that the thus broken strand is only about six inches longer than the initially broken or exhausted strand even at winding speeds of 500 to 800 yards per minute.

As shown in Fig. 9, the upper end of each slot 43 and 44 is preferably made into a knife edge 61 adapted to catch the strand and thus aid in severing it. Obviously even if the relation of parts were such that a strand diverted into one of the slots 43"- or 44* were still able to unwind freely, the knife-edge 61 thus encountered would speedily accomplish the desired severing of the strand. Thus reliance can be placed either upon the inclination of the yarn with respect to the supply package, or upon some suitably disposed strand catcher such as the knife edge 61, for the purpose of breaking the released strand; however, the illustrated device utilizes both such actions, each of which involves causing the diverted yarn to encounter an impediment to continued unwinding.

Associated with the cover plate 30, there are preferably provided a pair of strand guides '70,

71, made for example, of wire, having inclined portions '70, '71 adapted to engage two strands extending from the supply packages to the winding means and to lead them to a central throat defined by approximately parallel portions 70, 71*. Such assembly of the strands in this throat can take place automatically while the operator allows the two strands to drop onto the opposite inclined edges of member 31, in position to be pulled into the front slots 43, 44. In normal running, the parallel portions '70", '71 of the strand guides keep the two strands close together as they approach the reciprocating traverse guide 29, as shown in Fig. 3, but as shown in Fig. 2 the lower parts of these portions 70 '71 terminate above the cover plate 30, thus permitting the released strand :1: or y to travel up the appropriate one of the spaced slots 43 or 44* to breaking position. The preferred guides '70, '71 herewith illustrated, are thus shaped and disposed with reference to the breakage detector to bring together and center the strands between the detector and winding means, to retain them in this relation during normal winding, and release either strand which is released by the detector so that such strand is free to assume its more direct path which induces breakage.

It will be observed that in the breaking of the released strand in the preferred illustrateddevice no moving parts other than the strand itself are required. Loss of time through acceleration and lost motion of mechanical parts is therefore eliminated in the breaking operation, and the pull of the fast-moving strand utilized to accomplish the breaking which follows practically instantaneously. r

Likewise, no mechanical part is required to carry the strand from the detector to breaking position, this shifting of position being accomplished merely by permitting the tensioncd strand to assume a more direct course.

i w ll claim:

- 1. Theart of doubling strands, comprising nor mailylmaintaining indirect paths for the strands from supply packages to a winding package, and, upon failure of one strand, releasing another strand from its indirect path and permitting the winding tension to carry the released strand into a more direct path in which there is an impediment tounwinding from the supply package such that said winding tension breaks the released strand. 7 r

i '2. The art of doubling strands comprising normally maintaining indirect paths for the strands from supply packages to'a winding package and causing the strands to unwindover the ends of their supply packages in the initial parts of said paths, and, upon failure of one strand, releasing another strand from, its indirect path and permitting the winding tension to carry the released strand into a more direct path of which the in clination to the supply package does not allow over-end unwinding, thereby to break the released strand.

3. The art of doubling strands comprising normally maintaining indirect paths for the strands from supply packages to a winding package, and, upon failure of one strand, releasing another strandfrom its indirect path and permitting the winding tension to carry the released strand into a more direct path containing a severing strandcatcher.

4. The art of doubling strands comprising normally maintaining indirect paths for the strands from supply packages to a winding package and causing-the strands to unwind over the ends of their supply packages in the initial parts of said paths, and, upon failure of one strand, releasing another strand from its indirect path and'permitting the winding tension to carry the released strand into a more direct path of which the inclination, to the supply package does not allow overend unwinding and containing a knife edge against which the released strand is drawn by said tension.

5. Mechanism for preventing single strand winding in machines having winding means and a plurality of supply holders, comprising means for guiding two strands under winding tension in indirect paths from their supply packages to the winding package, means for releasing one of said strands from its said indirect path upon the breakage or exhaustion of the other of said strands, and means for breaking the strand thus released.

6. Mechanism for preventing single strand winding in machines having winding means and a plurality of supply holders, comprising means for guiding two strands under winding tension in indirect paths from their supply packages to the winding package, means for releasing either of said strands from its said indirect path upon the breakage or exhaustion of the other of said strands, and means for breaking a strand thus released.

'7. Mechanism for preventing single strand winding in machines having winding means, comprising supply package holders and strand guiding means positioned with respect to each otherto cause two strands to unwind over end from their winding packages and thence travel in an indirect path to the winding means, and means for releasing one of said strands from said indirect path upon the breakage or exhaustion of the other strand, said releasing means permitting the released strand to assume a more direct path at an angle to its supply package such as not to allow over-end unwinding.

8. Mechanism for preventing single strand winding in machines having winding means, comprising supply package holders and strand guiding means adapted to receive strands unwinding over the ends of the supply packages, said guiding means normally constraining the strands to indirect paths to the winding means, and means for releasing one of said strands from said indirect path upon the breakage or exhaustion of the other strand, said releasing means permitting the released strand to assume a more direct path at an angle to its supply package defining two alternate paths for each winding strand, one of said alternate paths being relatively indirect from the supply package to the winding means and the other of said alternate paths being more direct but obstructed, and means for normally holding both strands in the indirect paths, said last-named means being actuable by breakage or exhaustion of either strand to release the other remaining strand to its more direct obstructed path.

10. Mechanism for preventing single strand winding in machines having winding means, comprising supply package holders, means for defining two alternate paths for each winding strand, oneof said alternate paths being'relatively indirect to the winding means and the other of said paths being more direct, strand catching means in the said more direct paths, and means for normally holding both strands in the indirect paths, said last-named means being actuable by breakage or exhaustion ofeither strand to release the other remaining strand to its more direct path containing the strand catcher.

11. Mechanism for preventing single strand winding in machines having winding means, comprising supply package holders and strand guiding means positioned with respect to each other to cause two strands to unwind over end from their winding packages and thence travel in an indirect path to the winding means, means for releasing one of said strands from said indirect path upon the breakage or exhaustion of the other strand, said releasing means permitting the released strand to assume a more direct path at an angle to its supply package such as not to allow over-end unwinding, and a knife edge adapted to engage the strand in such path.

12. Mechanism for preventing single strand winding in machines having winding means, comprising an element normally retaining two winding strands in relatively indirect paths, from their supply packages to the winding means, said element being pivoted to respond to the absence of one of the strands by tilting thereby to release the other strand therefrom, and means for breaking the strand thus released when winding tension causes it to assume a more direct path.

13. Strand release mechanism for detecting breakage or exhaustion of one of a pair of traveling strands, comprising an element having portions adapted to receive and normally to retain two spaced tensioned strands in relatively indirect paths, and a pivotal mounting for said element, the pivotal motion of the said element being such that upon failure of one of the strands the element is free to tilt under the pressure of the other strand sufficiently to release it, from its relatively indirect path to a more direct path.

14. Strand release mechanism for detecting breakage or exhaustion of one of a pair of traveling strands, comprising a pivoted element having strand receiving portions adapted normally to retain two spaced tensioned strands, the pivotal motion of the said element being such that upon failure of one of the strands the element is free to tilt under the pressure of the other strand sufllcicntly to release it, and means adjacent to said strand receiving portions for checking motion of either strand in the direction in which said element tends to be tilted by the other strand, thereby to prevent tilting of said element to releasing position if neither strand has failed.

15. Strand release mechanism for detecting breakage or exhaustion of one of a pair of traveling strands, comprising an element having portions adapted to receive and normally to retain two spaced tensioned strands, and a pair of pivots on which said element is mounted, said element being slotted to receive said pivots, and said slots being shaped to permit the said element to swing about either pivot sufiiciently to release a respective one of the strands when the other strand fails.

16. Strand release mechanism for detecting breakage or exhaustion of one of a pair of traveling strands, comprising an element having portions adapted to receive and normally to retain two spaced tensioned strands, and a pair of pivots on which said element is mounted, said element having arcuate slotted portions to receive the respective pivots, said arcuate slotted portions having the two pivots for centers, whereby said element is adapted normally to rest on said two pivots and to tilt to one side on one pivot and to tilt to the other side on the other pivot.

17. Strand release mechanism for detecting breakage or exhaustion of one of a pair of traveling strands, comprising an element having portions adapted to receive and normally to retain two spaced tensioned strands in relatively indirect paths, a supporting member, and a pivotal connection between said supporting member and said element permitting said element to tilt in the direction of either strand sufliciently to release it from said relatively indirect path to a more direct path when the other strand falls.

18. Strand release mechanism for detecting breakage or exhaustion of one of a pair of traveling strands, comprising an element having portions adapted to receive and normally to retain two spaced tensional strands, a supporting member, a pivotal connection between said supporting member and said element permitting said element to tilt in the direction of either strand sufliciently to release it when the other strand fails, and means associated with said supporting member for checking motion of either strand in the direction in which said element tends to be tilted by the other strand.

19. Mechanism for preventing single strand winding in machines having winding means and a pair of supply packages, comprising guide means defining lateral paths in which the running strands can shift their courses of travel toward the winding means, means retained operative by the presence thereat of both running strands for holding said strands at a place in said lateral paths where said running strands have relatively indirect courses of travel from their supply packages to the winding means, said holding means being ineffective to hold either strand in the absence of the other, and means for causing breakage of either strand that moves in its lateral path past the holding means.

20. Mechanism for preventing single strand winding in machines having winding means and a pair of supply packages, comprising a plate having two yarn slits extending from a location where the course of travel from the supply packages to the winding means is relatively indirect to a place where such course of travel is more direct, a yarn gate adapted to hold the two winding strands at a location in the slots where the course of travel of the strands is relatively indirect, a pivotal mounting for said gate permitting it to be tilted by one strand to a position where it releases said strand when the other strand fails, and means for breaking the said released strand when winding tension carries it past said gate in its slot.

EDWARD J. ABBO'I'I. 

